Apparatus for facing hardened concrete blocks



Sept. 3, 1957 G. J. SAFFERT 2,804,671

APPARATUS FOR FACING HARDENED CONCRETE BLOCKS Filed Feb. 20, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. XW Jaw/WM Sept. 3, 1957 G. J. SAFFERT 2,804,571

APPARATUS FOR meme HARDENED CONCRETE BLOCKS Filed Feb. 20, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

United States Patent @fiice 2,8ii4,57l Patented Sept. 3, 1957 APPARATUS FOR FACING HARDENED CONCRETE BLOQKS George I. Satfert, New Ulm, Minn.

Application February 20, 1953, Serial No. 337,906

2 Claims. (Cl. 245) This invention relates to a apparatus for facing hardened concrete blocks or slabs.

It is an object of my present invention to provide a novel and highly efiicient apparatus for applying facing material to a pre-hardened concrete block.

It is still another object to provide apparatus consisting in means for supporting a plate and peripheral frame and for vibrating the same, and having a pressure-applying member for compacting the aggregate with means for vibrating said plate and frame during the compacting of the aggregate and after the block to be faced has been applied thereto.

It is a further object to provide apparatus of the class described including clamping means for securely clamping a peripheral frame into engagement with an imperforate, bottom forming plate which is separate therefrom in order to positively hold said frame and plate during the vibrating and block-applying operations.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to the same or similar parts, and in which Fig. 1 is a perspective View showing the entire apparatus with the peripheral frame and facing material supporting plate being inserted therein.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the compacting mechanism for the aggregate before the block is applied thereto;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing a concrete block mounted in said peripheral frame with downwardly applied pressure being directed against the top thereof;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of my improved apparai Fig. 5 is an end elevational view of the structure shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an end elevational view showing a fragmentary portion of the clamping mechanism of my apparatus; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary elevational view of said clamping mechanism as viewed from the inside.

As illustrated in the accompanying drawings, I provide a base member 8 having legs 8a and a top frame 8b. A vibrating frame 9 is supported on the base frame 81:, as best shown in Figs. 4 and 5, and has a plurality of spaced resilient supporting elements such as the suitable rubber pads 10. Retaining bolts 11 loosely retain the vibrating frame 9 on said base frame 8b. A pair of longitudinally disposed roller supporting frame members 12 are fixed in spaced apart, substantially parallel relation on the vibrating frame 9 and a plurality of transversely disposed rollers 13- are journalled therebetween, as best shown in Fig. 1. Suitable means for maintaining the spaced parallel relationship between the frame members 12 are provided such as the spacer bolts 14, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 4. A vibrator of any suitable type such as the pneumatic vibrator 15 is mounted between the vibrating frame members 9, as best shown in Fig. 4 and serves to vibrate said frame 9 along with the rollers 13 and frame members 12. Suitable control means (not shown) may be provided for selectively controlling the actuation of said vibrator 15.

An imperforate plate or mold pallet 16 is adapted to be supported on the rollers 13 and has a peripheral mold frame 17 centrally placed thereon. Said mold frame 17 provides a mortar retaining recess within which the soft facing mixture 18 containing the desired aggregate is placed and a concrete block or slab to be faced is ultimately placed therein as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, said block, in the form shown, being designated by the numeral 19. The frame 17 is of a size to receive the block or slab within the upper portion thereof and is of sufficient depth to provide a free area above the soft facing mixture 18 within which the block or slab is positioned to produce a smooth joint between the facing material and the block or slab.

The bottom plate 16 is placed upon the rollers 13 and the frame 17 centered thereon. Suitable clamping means such as the vertically shiftable clamping bars 20 are provided for positively anchoring said frame 17 against bottom plate 16 and holding the thus assembled mold structure tightly against the rollers 13. Suitable means are provided for applying the downwardly directed force on the clamping bars 29 such as the eccentrically mounted cams 20a fixed to a rock shaft Ziib which is journalled in clamp mounting bars 20d which are mounted for vertical sliding movement in suitable guide ways on each of the mounting plates 12, as best shown in Figs. 5 and 7, and a suitable operating handle 200 is provided for oscillating shaft 20b onits axis. A pair of spaced cross bars 2% engage the cams 20a and produce the vertical shifting movement of shaft 2% and mounting bars Ziid in which said shaft is journalled.

The facing mortar containing the desired facing aggregate is then poured into the recess provided within the peripheral frame 17 and the vibrator is actuated for a short time to thoroughly settle the facing material against the bottom plate and to compact the same. Suitable means for applying downwardly directed compacting pressure are provided such as the ribbed pressure frame 21 fixed to the lower end of a reciprocable rod 22 which is slidably V mounted in one end of an arm bracket 23 which is swingably mounted at its other end on a stationary upstanding post member 24, best shown in Figs. 1 through 3, inclusive. A sleeve 23a is provided on the post 24 and suitable collars 25 are fixed to said post by any suitable means to permit rotation of the sleeve 23a thereon. The ribbed pressure frame 21 is swung around into operative position as shown in Fig. 2 and thereafter downwardly directed pressure is applied to the upstanding rod 22 to engage the spaced bars or ribs 21a formed on the bottom of frame 21 against the top surface of the facing mortar to positively press the aggregate stones dcwnward ly into contact with the imperforate bottom plate 16 in order that the aggregate stones will be visible on the face of the block after said facing material has hardened and the cement film on the surface is brushed off. This downwardly exerted pressure by the rib frame 21 is produced during the vibration of the facing mixture and, after completion thereof, the pressure frame 21 is raised and swung back into retracted position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

A pre-hardened concrete block 19 or other plain concrete backing member is supplied from a conventional roller track assembly line (not shown) and is then placed within the peripheral frame 17, as best shown in Fig. 3, and a second pressure applying plate 26 exerts downwardly directed pressure on the top side thereof, as best shown in Fig. 3. It should be noted that the inside perimeter dimensions of the frame 17 are such that the block 19 fits therewithin in close fitting relationship. The pressure applying plate 26 is connected at the lower end of an upstanding shaft which is slidably mounted in a swingable bracket .28 which is fixed in outstanding relation to a second sleeve 29 rotatably mounted on post 24 and retained thereon by suitable collars 30. A lever 31 is provided for exerting a relatively large, downwardly directed force against the block or other backing member 19, as best shown in Fig. 3. While this downwardly directed force is being exerted by pressure plate 26, the vibrator 15 is actuated to insure a firm bond between the facing material and the backing member engaged therewith and, after completion of the application operation and the uniting operation, the clamping bars 20 are raised by turning the crank 20c, and the block and mold assembly is removed by sliding the samealong said rollers 13 onto another roller assembly track (not shown) where the facing mortar is allowed to set with the weight of the block pressing thereagainst. After this initial setting of the mortar, the assembly is inverted and the bottom plate 16 is removed from the then top of the united facingand block. However, the peripheral frame 17 is left in protective surrounding relation around the motor to prevent damaging of the mortar edges. A soft brush, such as a whisk broom or scrub brush, is used to clean the exposed surface of the aggregate and the motar between the aggregate stones is brushed away to remove the cement film or coating and produce the desired exposure of the aggregate stones. After completion of this cleaning operation, the frame 17 is pushed downwardly toward the unfaced surface of block 19 in order to prevent chipping of the edges of the facing material, and the block or slab 19 is lifted therefrom and set aside to permit curing of the facing material thereon and insure a firm bond between the block and facing.

It will be seen that I have provided a relatively simple, yet highly efiicient, method and apparatus for facing prehardened concrete blocks which permits the use of relatively soft brushes to expose any desired size or color aggregate for the cleaning operation and obviates the necessity for hard steel brushes and acid treatment which is normally required after the cement binder has completely hardened. By leaving the peripheral frame in place around the facing material, it is possible to clean said face before the same has finally hardened since the edges thereof are protected by said frame, thus greatly facilitating and speeding up the cleaning operation to expose the selected aggregate.

It will, of course, be understood that various-changes may be made in the form, details, arrangements, and proportions of the parts without departing from the scope of this invention which, generally stated, consists in the matter shown and described herein and set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus for facing prehardened concrete blocks consistingin a supporting structure, a separate continuous and rigid peripheral frame having open top and open bottom ends, a separate removable bottom plate underlying said frame, clamping means mounted on said supporting structure topositively clamp said bottom plate and frame together to permit placing of soft facing material within the confines of said frame and supported on said plate, pressure applying means for exerting downwardly directed pressure on the block to tightly press the surface of a block to be faced thereagainst, an upstanding supporting member mounted on said supporting structure with said under for engagement with the soft facing material to press downwardly thereon before a block is applied there- 2. The structure set forth in claim 1 and vibrating means for vibrating at least the upper portion of said supporting structure to compact said facing material and insure a positive bond between the facing material and the surface of the -block to be faced.

ReferencesCited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 686,656 Hoban Nov. 12, 1901 845,311 Missildine Feb. 26, 1907 911,015 Jones Jan. 26, 1909 971,687 Ramsden Oct. 4, 1910 1,162,172 Jones Nov. 30, 1915 1,300,734 Kiefer Apr. 15, 1919 1,344,087 Kline June 22, 1920 1,619,734 Jeppson et al. Mar. 1, 1927 1,943,931 Ruch Jan. 16, 1934 1,957,421 Daniels et al. May 1, 1934 2,581,040 Mullenbach Jan. 1, 1952 2,600,923 Rogers et a1 June 17, 1952 2,601,532 Knighton June 24, 1952 2,629,135 Johnson Feb. 24, 1953 

